Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches

Hall Of Fame

Class of 1985

Robert Hamm

Coached track at Hillsboro High school in 1955, 1956, and, 1957, at Bremen from 1958 through 1962, and at Lancaster High school from 1963 through 1982. Won one state high school track meet championship and two runnersup. Won 20 consecutive district and seven league meets. Has coached seven state high school track meet individual champions. Won 118 dual/tri track meets. OAT&CCC 1982 Boys Track Coach of the Year

Paul "Sparky" Adams

Coached track at Baldwin Wallace College from 1957 through 1962 and 1966 through 1984. Coached cross country at Baldwin Wallace from 1956 through 1961 and 1965 through 1983. His teams won ten indoor track, nine outdoor track, and five cross country Ohio Athletic Conference championships. Won four NCAA district cross country meets and one All-Ohio track title. Was president of the NCAA Division III Cross Country Coaches Association and later the Track Coaches Association.

Robert Wright

Ran for Ohio State University. Won four NCAA outdoor hurdle events. Won one national AAU indoor hurdle race and scored in four others. Set three world indoor hurdle records. Won seven Big Ten events. Set six Ohio college indoor and four Ohio college outdoor records. Was one of the best hurdlers in the world in 1944, but there was not an Olympic Games because of World War II.

James Smithey

Coached track for 28 years at Haskins, Otsego, Woodville, and Woodmore High Schools. Won 12 league and one district track meet. Coached three individual state high school track champions. Coached boys cross country for 16 years. Was runnerup in one state high school cross country met and won five conference meets. Coached girls cross country six years, winning two conference and one district meet. Won 262 dual/tri track meets, 158 dual/tri boys cross country meets, and 38 dual/tri girls cross country meets.

Neal Charske

Has coached cross country at Kettering Fairmont East High School since 1963 to the present time. Coached girls cross country at these schools since 1977. Coached track at East from 1973 through 1976. Won eight boys and three girls league cross country meets. Won one boys and two girls district cross country meets. Coached one individual state cross country champion. Founded and managed the East Cross Country Invitational. Official. OAT&CCC president. OAT&CCC Scholarship and Hall of Fame Chairman. Founded and managed the Mideast Cross Country Championships in 1987 through the present.

Dave Clegg

Has coached track at Alliance High School since 1968. Has coached cross country at Alliance since 1974. Won the state high school track meet in 1984 and tied for first in 1976. Has won two track district/regional meets. Has won four league track and three league cross country meets in four years of league participation. Has coached six individuals who have won state high school track meet events, and one individual who won the state high school cross country meet. Has won 100 dual/tri track meets and 60 dual/tri cross country meets.

Hall Of Fame Index